Teen’s incredible act saved both his arms after horror accident | World | News
John Thompson lost both his arms (Image: LMN)
A horrific accident nearly claimed the life of 18-year-old John Thompson, but miraculously, he survived to recount his ordeal.
The incident occurred in 1992 when John was working alone on a farm in North Dakota, USA. As he watched grain being discharged from a tractor, his shirt tails were suddenly ensnared in the machine’s shaft.
Despite his efforts to free himself, his arms also became entangled and were subsequently severed.
Despite the terrifying predicament he found himself in, John managed to drag himself approximately a hundred yards to his house, battling through excruciating pain.
With no arms to help him, he used his mouth to open the door and enter the house. Unable to dial for help, John resorted to holding a pencil in his teeth to call his cousin, reports <a href=”https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/teen-lost-both-arms-tractor-36564146″ rel=”Follow” target=”_self”>the Mirror</a>.
John Thompson with arms reattached (Image: undefined)
Remarkably, he then sat in a bathtub until help arrived to prevent blood from staining the carpet. After being airlifted to hospital, a team of surgeons spent six hours reattaching his arms, defying all odds.
John revealed he had lost so much blood the emergency room staff were astounded he was still alive. Despite his traumatic experience, he remained conscious throughout.
At one point, he even managed to make a joke while being flown to Minnesota for surgery, telling the medical team that his arms, which had been packed in ice, felt cold.
Following the operation, the young farmer spent four weeks in a coma. Upon regaining consciousness, he faced further surgery, intensive rehabilitation, and a battle against a severe blood infection.
John lost both his arms as a teenager (Image: LMN)
More than three decades later, John can still recall every moment of that fateful day with crystal clarity. “I got caught up in the power shaft,” he explained.
“Next thing I knew, everything went dark, and I started feeling funny. I woke up to my dog licking my face – and realised I’d lost both arms just below the shoulders.”
Against all odds, John has maintained his determined spirit. Nowadays, he retains movement in his arms, though his hands remain clenched unless he manually opens them.
Medical professionals offered him prosthetic limbs, but he declined the option. He refuses to sacrifice that vital sense of touch and his physical connection to the world around him.
John speaks candidly about the public attention he has attracted throughout the years. “That’s been the hardest part,” he admits.
“Trying to get away from the fame, but I just can’t. People want to use me – for good or bad – and I keep coming back to it.”
His unexpected celebrity status led to a visit to the White House and performing the national anthem at a Minnesota Twins baseball match. He penned a memoir about his ordeal, titled ‘Home In One Piece’, and has championed fundraising efforts and awareness campaigns for blood donations.
Reflecting on what lies ahead, he joked: “I’d like to see what happens to you at 18, thrown into all this,” he remarks. “I’m pretty damned impressed with what I’ve done.”
